In this Phase 2 PoC trial, a total of 17 patients across three sequentially recruited cohorts will have enrolled to receive Brilacidin once daily administered per rectum as a retention enema for 42 days (6 weeks) of treatment. Cohort A (6 patients) and Cohort B (6 patients) have already completed treatment, receiving 50 milligrams (mg) and 100 mg of Brilacidin, respectively. Cohort C (5 patients) currently is in progress, with patients receiving 200 mg once daily. For all patients, endoscopic evaluation of the rectum and mucosa up to 40 cm from the anal verge will be performed at screening and at the end of treatment/Day 42 (± 3 days), with scoring performed by both trial investigators and independent gastroenterologists. The Primary Efficacy Endpoint of the Brilacidin UP/UPS trial uses Modified Mayo Disease Activity Index (MMDAI) scoring, a common measurement tool in managing Ulcerative Colitis preferred by many IBD specialists, to determine Clinical Remission at Day 42. Secondary Efficacy Endpoints include: change in MMDAI score, both Full and Partial, and; change in patient Quality of Life as assessed by the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (SIBDQ).

Management Comments

Based on results observed in the first two cohorts of patients who completed treatment, Brilacidin showed strong signs of efficacy while being well-tolerated, reinforcing its potential to become a novel, non-corticosteroid, non-biologic anti-inflammatory drug candidate. The third and final cohort has been limited to five patients—instead of six—and will ensure that the most robust data set for this trial remains on schedule for presentation at the Drug Discovery & Therapy World Congress in July.

“What is perhaps most remarkable about this trial is that Brilacidin was administered to patients in water as a retention enema,” said Leo Ehrlich, Chief Executive Officer at Cellceutix. “The logical next step is transitioning to a foam and gel/lotion formulation, with planning already underway, which would greatly facilitate Brilacidin’s adhesion to the mucosal lining of the gastrointestinal tract and may lead to even greater efficacy. Brilacidin for UP/UPS is well-positioned to become first-in-class.”

“We expect that a complete body of data and evidence, including importantly endoscopic evaluation, will demonstrate just how safe and effective Brilacidin, as an emerging treatment, might one day become for those suffering from a wide range of debilitating inflammatory bowel conditions,” said Cellceutix’s President and Chief Medical Officer, Arthur P. Bertolino, MD, PHD, MBA. The Company expects treatment of the final Brilacidin UP/UPS cohort to be completed in June, with topline interim results across all cohorts to be presented at the Drug Discovery & Therapy World Congress in Boston, MA July 10-13, 2017.

For reference, previously released detailed interim findings from the Brilacidin UP/UPS trial are available at the following link:

About Brilacidin Brilacidin is Cellceutix’s lead drug candidate in its defensin mimetic franchise. Modeled after Host Defense Proteins (HDPs), the “front-line” of defense in the immune system, it is a small, non-peptidic, synthetic molecule that kills pathogens swiftly and thoroughly. Just as importantly, Brilacidin also functions in a robust immunomodulatory capacity, lessening inflammation and promoting healing. Due to its unique properties, Cellceutix is studying Brilacidin’s effect on oral mucositis (under Fast Track designation) and on ulcerative proctitis/proctosigmoiditis (UP/UPS) in Phase 2 trials. Additional trials of Brilacidin are planned in other conditions, including: atopic dermatitis, hidradenitis suppurativa and acne. Brilacidin is also being developed under FDA’s Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) designation as an antibacterial product for Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infection (ABSSSI)—qualifying it for Fast Track and possible Priority FDA Review and an extra 5 years of United States market exclusivity upon drug approval.

About UP/UPS Ulcerative proctitis (UP), a limited type of ulcerative colitis (UC), is a mucosal inflammatory disease of unknown cause involving only the rectum. When it involves both the rectum and the distal colon, it is called Ulcerative Proctosigmoiditis (UPS). It is characterized by inflammation, redness, and ulcerations of the mucosa. The course of the disease is variable and ranges from complete resolution to easily maintained remission to chronic relapses or refractory disease. Diagnosis can occur at any point in life, with approximately 30-50 percent of patients developing more extensive UC. There is currently no cure. According to estimates provided by GlobalData, the worldwide UC market, which includes products for UP/UPS, is expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate of 4.7 percent, from $4.2 billion in 2012 to approximately $6.6 billion by 2022.

About Cellceutix’s Proof-of-Concept (PoC) UP/UPS Trial DesignThis trial is being conducted in an overseas hospital/clinic setting with Brilacidin being administered with water in an enema. A foam formulation of Brilacidin for use in future studies is planned and would be expected to improve patient convenience and future study results. The primary objective of Cellceutix’s Proof-of-Concept (PoC) trial is to assess the frequency of clinical remission (defined using Modified Mayo Disease Activity Index [MMDAI] scoring) with Brilacidin administered per rectum by enema in patients with active UP or UPS after 6 weeks of treatment. Additional objectives include: evaluation of safety and tolerability of Brilacidin when administered per rectum; assessment of systemic exposure and/or pharmacokinetics of Brilacidin when administered per rectum; assessment of the efficacy of Brilacidin by change in MMDAI at Day 42/Week 6 and Partial MMDAI during treatment and by biomarker evaluation (from serum, feces, and rectum/sigmoid biopsy samples); evaluation of change in patient-reported quality of life (by the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire); and estimation of statistical power for subsequent trial(s) in UP and UPS. The PoC trial includes 17 patients divided into three cohorts. Cohort A and Cohort B have received 50 milligrams (mg) and 100 mg of Brilacidin, respectively, once daily administered per rectum as a retention enema for 42 days. Dosing has been increased to 200 mg once daily for 42 days for Cohort C. Endoscopic evaluation of the rectum and mucosa up to 40 cm from the anal verge will be performed at screening and at the end of treatment/Day 42 (± 3 days). Per protocol, a safety committee will review safety and retention data (clinical laboratory findings, physical examination findings, vital signs, adverse events, use of concomitant medications, retention times) after 21 days of therapy for all six patients in each of cohorts A and B before proceeding with initiating enrollment (dosing) into the subsequent cohort.

About Cellceutix Headquartered in Beverly, Massachusetts, Cellceutix is a publicly-traded company under the symbol “CTIX”. Cellceutix is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies in multiple diseases. Cellceutix believes it has a world-class portfolio of first-in-class lead drug candidates and is now advancing them toward market approval, while actively seeking strategic partnerships. Cellceutix’s psoriasis drug candidate Prurisol completed a Phase 2 trial and Cellceutix more recently launched a Phase 2b study. Prurisol is a small molecule that acts through immune modulation and PRINS reduction. Cellceutix’s anti-cancer drug Kevetrin successfully concluded a Phase 1 clinical trial at Harvard Cancer Centers’ Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Cellceutix has commenced a Phase 2 study. In the laboratory, Kevetrin has been shown to induce activation of p53, often referred to as the “Guardian Angel Gene” due to its crucial role in controlling cell mutations. Brilacidin-OM, a defensin mimetic compound, has shown in an animal model to reduce the occurrence of severe ulcerative oral mucositis by more than 94% compared to placebo. Cellceutix is in a Phase 2 clinical trial with its novel compound Brilacidin-OM for the prevention of oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer; interim results have shown a marked reduction in the incidence of severe oral mucositis (WHO Grade ≥ 3). Cellceutix’s lead antibiotic, Brilacidin, has completed a Phase 2b trial for Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infection, or ABSSSI. Top-line data have shown a single dose of Brilacidin to deliver comparable clinical outcomes to the FDA-approved seven-day dosing regimen of daptomycin. Brilacidin has the potential to be a single-dose therapy for certain multi-drug resistant bacteria (“superbugs”). In an ongoing Phase 2 open label Proof-of-Concept trial, favorable interim results have been observed in the first two cohorts of patients treated with Brilacidin for Ulcerative Proctitis/Ulcerative Proctosigmoiditis (UP/UPS), two types of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Cellceutix has formed research collaborations with world-renowned research institutions in the United States and Europe, including MD Anderson Cancer Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and the University of Bologna. More information is available on the Cellceutix web site at www.cellceutix.com.

Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 including statements concerning projected timelines for the initiation and completion of clinical trials, our future drug development plans, other statements regarding future product developments, including with respect to specific indications, and any other statements which are other than statements of historical fact. These statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause Cellceutix’s actual results and experience to differ materially from anticipated results and expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements. Cellceutix has in some cases identified forward-looking statements by using words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “hopes,” “estimates,” “looks,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “goal,” “potential,” “may,” “suggest,” and similar expressions. Among other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements are Cellceutix’s need for, and the availability of, substantial capital in the future to fund its operations and research and development; including the amount and timing of the sale of shares of common stock to Aspire Capital; the fact that Cellceutix’s compounds may not successfully complete pre-clinical or clinical testing, or be granted regulatory approval to be sold and marketed in the United States or elsewhere. A more complete description of these risk factors is included in Cellceutix’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Cellceutix undertakes no obligation to release publicly the results of any revisions to any such forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by applicable law or regulation.